musi di fungi – that is more or less ‘mushroom mouth’ – Lois Henrickson pretty much rocks this

Lois Henrickson HBO Big Love

And I know in the world there are mushroom people and Not mushroom people …

OK, I didn’t learn that in the world, I learned it at home. My family is divided between mushroom people and Not mushroom people – just like the olives divide the room to the olives and the pits….

Someone had asked me for a pickled mushroom recipe recently, but I couldn’t find it because it was hiding in plain sight.

Why did I ever think writing things down and then trimming the paper exactly around it was any sort of plan?

Was there a great paper shortage in the ’80’s that has somehow escaped memory?

The paper it was on

Had been trimmed exactly around all the writing, back and front

Was 2 inches by 4 inches

Had another recipe written on the back (labeled ‘SW/SU Meatballs‘, it’s a variation of the famous jar of grape jelly/bottle of chili/cocktail sauce that also includes a can of cranberry jelly…..and calls for 3 pounds of meat, so this is a a party dish)

Had the name ‘Marinated Mushrooms’ on the bottom and not on the top, making it hard to find.

AND – The directions were so – where is the place that’s before vague that is even further from clear? That is the place where this recipe is standing. So I had to check out other marinated mushrooms/pickled mushrooms.It actually made more sense after that; it still had some ‘splaining to do.

And what else did I find in my studies?

There are more Nonna Marinated mushrooms stories out there then you could shake a stick at.

And they vary – from pouring a vinaigrette over the mushrooms, to cooking the mushrooms in lots of vinegar or wine . This recipe has you cook the mushrooms first and then pickle them. All good.

Marinated Mushrooms

2 # mushrooms – we always used the little button ‘shrooms from the grocery story , because back in the day there wasn’t a variety option – anything sturdy. And no collecting your own unless you really know from mushrooms!

1 cup water

1/2 cup vinegar

2 tsp lemon juice

dash of pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf

3 TBL oil

Wash and trim mushrooms.

Put them in a pan, cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes.

Drain and cool. Keep them in a colander so they can keep draining.

Boil together 1 cup water, the vinegar, lemon juice,pepper and salt and the bay leaf.

Add the cooked mushrooms to the hot mixture.

When it cools, strain it and add the oil.

They will be ready after 24 hours.

Will keep for 2 weeks in a covered jar…so they say, they never last that long. Marinated Mushrooms are A wholly approved and suitable use for a Mason Jar.

This recipe is just a written down version of how I remember doing this. I don’t even remember who told me how . It was always good to have some for the holidays. Or parties. Or any other time that called for nibbles or antipasto. Or because mushrooms were on sale. And because it’s Spring – at 33 degrees and it snowed yesterday.

We used to reuse just any old jar that had a lid…we all survived, but I buy Mason jars and new lids for them now, for the the things that aren’t just leftovers.